Five ways small businesses can benefit from a modern HR solution
Share this article
Tell us if this sounds familiar: your business doesn’t have a Human Resources (HR) department; as the owner or manager, you’re the “HR department!” And while juggling a wide breadth of responsibilities is something you’re likely used to from running a small business, the importance of laying down a foundation of good HR practices today to save major headaches in the long run can’t be overstated.
When you’re already doing it all, exploring different options to find a solution that fits your business and creates the efficiencies you’re looking for can feel overwhelming. That’s why we’ve compiled our top five ways Canadian small businesses can streamline their HR-related tasks using a modern HR solution:
- Ensure employee information is collected and stored securely.
- More easily manage company and employee documents.
- Leverage personalized communications for onboarding.
- Keep track of company assets and stay on top of important milestones.
- Easily create an Employee Policy Handbook.
Regardless of how many employees you have – whether it’s seven or 75 – every operation manages employee information, circulates important documentation and business policies, welcomes new staff, and could use an extra reminder about important dates. Read on to find out how Payworks can help!
1. Keep it simple while ensuring employee information is collected and stored securely
Even if your operation has just a few employees, you’ll soon come to appreciate the pros of better document management by using an HR solution. Say goodbye to collecting and tracking employee information using spreadsheets and manual processes by embracing one place for all of your employees’ data and records. Information is just a few clicks away whenever you need it.
Plus, employees deserve (and expect) to have their personal info stored securely. Our Employee Profile management system within Payworks’ HR solution is a secure, cloud-based digital “file folder” to house employee records for each of your staff. You can manage all data within our system with user-based restrictions – and our solutions are scalable. This means that as your operation grows (and your HR needs increase), there’s no need to go searching for a new platform; you’ve already adopted the process and technology to carry you into the future!
2. Made easy: company and employee documents for onboarding and more
When you really think about it, it doesn’t take long to realize you manage many important documents (even with a smaller crew!): the forms and contracts collected during the hiring and onboarding process, those that arise throughout employment, like waivers and certifications, and much more. Eliminate physical filing cabinets and the cumbersome paper processes that require them by leveraging an HR solution where both documents and forms can be digitally shared and stored with ease.
Our Company Documents feature enables you to circulate workplace safety procedures, health and safety documents, time off guidelines, and more. For newly-hired staff, you’ll enjoy the convenience of having them upload completed forms and digitally acknowledge they’ve read documents as a part of their onboarding process. Through our Employee Documents feature, you can also store and track employee-specific documents like training courses, certifications, and licenses. This will give you a clear snapshot of completed (or expired) designations and training. These uploads can be classified as Restricted Documents, which ensures that only those who should be able to access particularly sensitive info can do so. One centralized location for all company and employee documents for the win!
3. Set up employees for a great first day with personalized communications
Your employees want to work in a place where everybody knows their name, but personalizing anything can feel like an extra step (aka another item on your never-ending to-do list). With the right, savvy HR solution, it doesn’t have to be!
Send new or returning seasonal staff a Welcome Email using Payworks’ HR solution to ensure they’re all set up to have the best first day. It can include all of the info they need to know, from where to park to who’ll be meeting them when they arrive, as well as whether or not they need to bring anything specific with them for their first day. If a more personalized experience for your staff is at the top of your culture bucket list, our Employee Self Service (ESS) facilitates effective communication between employer and employees. Staff can log in from any web-enabled device, update their own contact information, and read and agree to important documents right from their device.
4. Keeping a pulse on company assets and employee milestones
You shouldn’t need a separate checklist or calendar item to know where to find a company-owned asset or whose birthday is this month. Remove those sticky notes from around your computer screen, because all that and more can be conveniently housed in an HR solution (which also sends email reminders to keep you ahead of the game)!
Track both the distribution and status of company assets in the Company Property Screen of Payworks’ HR solution. You can assign assets to specific employees and the status will reflect when an item was assigned and later returned; this way, you’ll know what assets employees are using offsite or keeping during off hours (like access cards, fuel cards, laptops, and tools). Email notifications can also be enabled to remind you (or a manager) of upcoming contract expiry dates for company property like cellphones, vehicles and more. If you’re loving how convenient that sounds, you’ll also enjoy the Notifications feature. It allows you to schedule email notifications for important dates like expired licenses, birthdays, work anniversaries, certification renewals, added dependents, or name changes (just to name a few).
5. Don’t develop policies from scratch – use an Employee Policy Handbook template
You’re often taking time to answer employee questions about hours of work and overtime, statutory holidays, vacation accruals, and various types of leaves. It would be nice (for them and for you) if those questions were already answered somewhere that your staff could easily access. If you don’t already have an Employee Policy Handbook, don’t let the creation of one be the non-starter. With the right workforce management solutions provider, you won’t have to figure out policy development from scratch!
Through Payworks’ HR Advisory Services, Canadian businesses can access a comprehensive template for developing an Employee Policy Handbook that’s ideal for small- to medium-sized operations. This document can outline key business information like code of conduct, employee benefits, health and safety protocols, hours of operations, time off, leave or vacation time parameters, and more. It comes with two hours of professional consultation and support from an HR professional, resulting in a tailored guide that best represents exactly how you operate.
You may not manage thousands of employees, but that doesn’t mean your business and team can’t benefit from a modern HR solution (especially one that doesn’t break the bank!). The Payworks platform is easily mastered, can help keep your team connected, and frees up your time so you can get back to why you got into business in the first place. Learn more: https://www.payworks.ca/solutions/small-business.
